Autism in Taiwan: Using Social Stories to Decrease Disruptive Behaviour

Abstract

The efficacy of Social Stories in ameliorating autism has been shown in a number of studies over the years; however, little research exists regarding its effectiveness in foreign countries. This 5-week study attempted to remedy that by evaluating the effectiveness of Social Stories in one of the outlying islands off the southern coast of Taiwan. A simple ABAB design was used with an autistic 7-year-old in the first grade that yelled loudly and frequently during the school day. Writing a Social Story specifically for him produced a marked decrease in disruptive behaviour that was charted. More importantly, the study showed that Social Stories could be used as an effective means of alleviating behaviour problems with autistic children in foreign cultures.